Recent archaeological investigations, still in progress, of the prehistoric deposits of Drakaina ... more Recent archaeological investigations, still in progress, of the prehistoric deposits of Drakaina Cave at Poros on Cephalonia has contributed significantly to the enrichment of our data concerning the prehistory in this region. These data combined with the radiocarbon results of stratigraphically controlled charcoal samples, actually permit the establishment of a safe chronological framework for the early phases of the Late Prehistory in the Ionian region, more precisely for the periods belonging, according to the conventional archaeological terminology, to the Late Neolithic (or Late Neolithic I) and Chalcolithic (or Late Neolithic II or Final Neolithic). In his way, more knowledge is acquired concerning the late phases of the Neolithic in Western Greece, which are still rather unknown.
Interdisciplinary Studies on Ancient Stone, Proceedings of the Tenth International Conference of ASMOSIA, Rome, 21-26 May 2012, 2015
Ten samples of sculptures from the Gallo-Roman Museum of Lyon-Fourvière (France) were examined an... more Ten samples of sculptures from the Gallo-Roman Museum of Lyon-Fourvière (France) were examined and analysed in order to determine the provenance of their marble. The ten works belong to the major group of sculptures discovered in the centre of the ancient city of Lyon and represent: a Minerva, a Nike (victory), a Caryatid, a Siren, a young girl sitting on a rock, two sarcophagi, a Roman portrait, and two heroes. All of them belong to the period between the 1st and the 3rd century AD and are of great historical interest. The scientific investigation was carried out using the techniques of Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (EPR), Stable Isotope analysis (IRMS), Maximum Grain Size measurement (MGS) and Optical Examination. The results showed that the provenance of the marble for the majority of the sculptures is from Greek and Anatolian quarries, such as, Paros, Proconnesos, Thasos, Afyon (Dokimeion), with only one being from Carrara.
The provenance question of the marbles used for making the sarcophagi of local production of Thes... more The provenance question of the marbles used for making the sarcophagi of local production of Thessaloniki in the Roman period had been posed by archaeologists in the past. The hypothesis was that the material came mainly from the quarries of Thassos Island. This paper presents the scientific analysis of 23 characteristic samples from selected sarcophagi at the Museum of Thessaloniki, using three different techniques: electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy, stable isotope analysis and maximum grain size measurements, plus in-situ examination. New combinations of parameters were used in order to resolve fully the provenance of all samples. The results showed that the vast majority of the objects were indeed made in Thassian marble but from three different quarries, namely Vathy/Saliara (dolomitic marble), Aliki (calcitic marble) and Acropolis/Phanari (calcitic marble). The calcitic marbles from Aliki and to a lesser degree from Acropolis/Phanari are met in all the basic types of sarcophagi (framed type, plain type, garland sarcophagi). The use of the better quality and snow-white dolomitic marble from Vathy/Saliara quarries is relatively restricted and is often found in works that are above the average regarding the quality of their workmanship. In addition, two sarcophagi were made in Pentlelic marble and one in Proconnesian. The scientific analysis results provide a good confirmation of the archaeological estimates and, furthermore, the conclusions constitute henceforth a secure basis for the study of the entire sculptured works of Thessaloniki.
Interdisciplinary Studies on Ancient Stone, Proceedings of the Tenth International Conference of ASMOSIA, Rome, 21-26 May 2012, 2015
The discovery of two sarcophagi fragments in Saint-Romain-en-Gal, incited the archaeological serv... more The discovery of two sarcophagi fragments in Saint-Romain-en-Gal, incited the archaeological service of the Gallo-Roman Museum of Saint-Romain-en-Gal and Vienne to investigate for the first time the origin of the Late Antiquity sarcophagi of these two sites. This investigation included scientific analysis for the provenance of marble, performed on 19 of the most significant roman funeral marble artefacts. The techniques used were: Maximum Grain Size (MGS) measurements, Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (EPR) and carbon and oxygen stable isotope analysis (IRMS). In addition, the quality of the marble crystallization, as it appears under the stereoscopic optical microscope, and the transparency, using a special light source, were also determined in order to clarify any dubious provenance cases, compared to the laboratory’s database. The results show that Carrara and Proconnessos marble were mostly used for the Late Antiquity sculptures in the area, but for some of them Penteli marble was used too.
The use of marble in prehistory and in particular in the Early Bronze Age is clearly evident in t... more The use of marble in prehistory and in particular in the Early Bronze Age is clearly evident in the Greek Cycladic islands where the famous Cycladic figurines appeared and spread all over the Aegean. However, the absence of quarrying traces in that period and the abundance of marble outcrops in most of the Cycladic islands makes the creation of reference databases very difficult and hence the determination of provenance of prehistoric artefacts quite demanding.
To approach this problem we surveyed systematically the marble outcrops in the Cyclades in several campaigns. A large number of samples was collected from Naxos, Keros, Ios, Syros, Nikouria, Schinoussa and Iraklia and analysed using MGS, EPR and IRMS. These updated and completed the database of the Cyclades that had been created by previous surveys over the past 20 years. The new database is presented here and some earlier provenance results of prehistoric objects are being reconsidered.
Ancient Stymphalos is an archaeological site in the mountains of the northeast Peloponnese, Greec... more Ancient Stymphalos is an archaeological site in the mountains of the northeast Peloponnese, Greece. Provenance investigation was carried out on two fragmentary marble sculptures found in the cella of a small temple on the Stymphalos Acropolis, which has remains from the 6th through to 2nd century BC. These are a Late Archaic Kore and a 4th-century “Temple Boy” housed in the storerooms of the Archaeological Museum in Ancient Corinth. The techniques used are: 1) measurements of Maximum Grain Size (MGS), 2) Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (EPR), and 3) Stable Isotope Analysis (IRMS). The use of the three techniques and the statistical treatment of the results, gave the following assignments for the provenance of the two statues: the Kore is most likely made of marble from Paros, with Hymettos and Penteli less likely candidates, and the “Temple Boy” is made of Parian Lychnites marble. Exposure to fire and subsequent weathering made assignment of origin for the Kore fairly complicated, but the open Parian quarries seem the most likely origin.
Recent archaeological investigations, still in progress, of the prehistoric deposits of Drakaina ... more Recent archaeological investigations, still in progress, of the prehistoric deposits of Drakaina Cave at Poros on Cephalonia has contributed significantly to the enrichment of our data concerning the prehistory in this region. These data combined with the radiocarbon results of stratigraphically controlled charcoal samples, actually permit the establishment of a safe chronological framework for the early phases of the Late Prehistory in the Ionian region, more precisely for the periods belonging, according to the conventional archaeological terminology, to the Late Neolithic (or Late Neolithic I) and Chalcolithic (or Late Neolithic II or Final Neolithic). In his way, more knowledge is acquired concerning the late phases of the Neolithic in Western Greece, which are still rather unknown.
Interdisciplinary Studies on Ancient Stone, Proceedings of the Tenth International Conference of ASMOSIA, Rome, 21-26 May 2012, 2015
Ten samples of sculptures from the Gallo-Roman Museum of Lyon-Fourvière (France) were examined an... more Ten samples of sculptures from the Gallo-Roman Museum of Lyon-Fourvière (France) were examined and analysed in order to determine the provenance of their marble. The ten works belong to the major group of sculptures discovered in the centre of the ancient city of Lyon and represent: a Minerva, a Nike (victory), a Caryatid, a Siren, a young girl sitting on a rock, two sarcophagi, a Roman portrait, and two heroes. All of them belong to the period between the 1st and the 3rd century AD and are of great historical interest. The scientific investigation was carried out using the techniques of Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (EPR), Stable Isotope analysis (IRMS), Maximum Grain Size measurement (MGS) and Optical Examination. The results showed that the provenance of the marble for the majority of the sculptures is from Greek and Anatolian quarries, such as, Paros, Proconnesos, Thasos, Afyon (Dokimeion), with only one being from Carrara.
The provenance question of the marbles used for making the sarcophagi of local production of Thes... more The provenance question of the marbles used for making the sarcophagi of local production of Thessaloniki in the Roman period had been posed by archaeologists in the past. The hypothesis was that the material came mainly from the quarries of Thassos Island. This paper presents the scientific analysis of 23 characteristic samples from selected sarcophagi at the Museum of Thessaloniki, using three different techniques: electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy, stable isotope analysis and maximum grain size measurements, plus in-situ examination. New combinations of parameters were used in order to resolve fully the provenance of all samples. The results showed that the vast majority of the objects were indeed made in Thassian marble but from three different quarries, namely Vathy/Saliara (dolomitic marble), Aliki (calcitic marble) and Acropolis/Phanari (calcitic marble). The calcitic marbles from Aliki and to a lesser degree from Acropolis/Phanari are met in all the basic types of sarcophagi (framed type, plain type, garland sarcophagi). The use of the better quality and snow-white dolomitic marble from Vathy/Saliara quarries is relatively restricted and is often found in works that are above the average regarding the quality of their workmanship. In addition, two sarcophagi were made in Pentlelic marble and one in Proconnesian. The scientific analysis results provide a good confirmation of the archaeological estimates and, furthermore, the conclusions constitute henceforth a secure basis for the study of the entire sculptured works of Thessaloniki.
Interdisciplinary Studies on Ancient Stone, Proceedings of the Tenth International Conference of ASMOSIA, Rome, 21-26 May 2012, 2015
The discovery of two sarcophagi fragments in Saint-Romain-en-Gal, incited the archaeological serv... more The discovery of two sarcophagi fragments in Saint-Romain-en-Gal, incited the archaeological service of the Gallo-Roman Museum of Saint-Romain-en-Gal and Vienne to investigate for the first time the origin of the Late Antiquity sarcophagi of these two sites. This investigation included scientific analysis for the provenance of marble, performed on 19 of the most significant roman funeral marble artefacts. The techniques used were: Maximum Grain Size (MGS) measurements, Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (EPR) and carbon and oxygen stable isotope analysis (IRMS). In addition, the quality of the marble crystallization, as it appears under the stereoscopic optical microscope, and the transparency, using a special light source, were also determined in order to clarify any dubious provenance cases, compared to the laboratory’s database. The results show that Carrara and Proconnessos marble were mostly used for the Late Antiquity sculptures in the area, but for some of them Penteli marble was used too.
The use of marble in prehistory and in particular in the Early Bronze Age is clearly evident in t... more The use of marble in prehistory and in particular in the Early Bronze Age is clearly evident in the Greek Cycladic islands where the famous Cycladic figurines appeared and spread all over the Aegean. However, the absence of quarrying traces in that period and the abundance of marble outcrops in most of the Cycladic islands makes the creation of reference databases very difficult and hence the determination of provenance of prehistoric artefacts quite demanding.
To approach this problem we surveyed systematically the marble outcrops in the Cyclades in several campaigns. A large number of samples was collected from Naxos, Keros, Ios, Syros, Nikouria, Schinoussa and Iraklia and analysed using MGS, EPR and IRMS. These updated and completed the database of the Cyclades that had been created by previous surveys over the past 20 years. The new database is presented here and some earlier provenance results of prehistoric objects are being reconsidered.
Ancient Stymphalos is an archaeological site in the mountains of the northeast Peloponnese, Greec... more Ancient Stymphalos is an archaeological site in the mountains of the northeast Peloponnese, Greece. Provenance investigation was carried out on two fragmentary marble sculptures found in the cella of a small temple on the Stymphalos Acropolis, which has remains from the 6th through to 2nd century BC. These are a Late Archaic Kore and a 4th-century “Temple Boy” housed in the storerooms of the Archaeological Museum in Ancient Corinth. The techniques used are: 1) measurements of Maximum Grain Size (MGS), 2) Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (EPR), and 3) Stable Isotope Analysis (IRMS). The use of the three techniques and the statistical treatment of the results, gave the following assignments for the provenance of the two statues: the Kore is most likely made of marble from Paros, with Hymettos and Penteli less likely candidates, and the “Temple Boy” is made of Parian Lychnites marble. Exposure to fire and subsequent weathering made assignment of origin for the Kore fairly complicated, but the open Parian quarries seem the most likely origin.
Uploads
Papers by Yannis Maniatis
To approach this problem we surveyed systematically the marble outcrops in the Cyclades in several campaigns. A large number of samples was collected from Naxos, Keros, Ios, Syros, Nikouria, Schinoussa and Iraklia and analysed using MGS, EPR and IRMS. These updated and completed the database of the Cyclades that had been created by previous surveys over the past 20 years. The new database is presented here and some earlier provenance results of prehistoric objects are being reconsidered.
To approach this problem we surveyed systematically the marble outcrops in the Cyclades in several campaigns. A large number of samples was collected from Naxos, Keros, Ios, Syros, Nikouria, Schinoussa and Iraklia and analysed using MGS, EPR and IRMS. These updated and completed the database of the Cyclades that had been created by previous surveys over the past 20 years. The new database is presented here and some earlier provenance results of prehistoric objects are being reconsidered.